1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to boats having electrically controlled boat propulsion units for producing thrust according to the operation of remote control units provided in a hull of the associated boat.
2. Description of the Related Art
In some known conventional boats, outboard motors provided at the stern of the hull of the boat are controlled by a remote control unit provided near an operator's seat of the boat. When the remote control unit is operated, the throttle opening and or other devices of the outboard motor, such as the engine, are controlled so as to drive the device, such as the engine, in a desired manner.
The outboard motor, which can serve as the propulsion unit of the boat, and the remote control unit can be connected to a power source via a power supply line. Additionally, the boat propulsion unit and the remote control unit can be connected to each other via a communication line.
Electric power is supplied from the power source to the boat propulsion unit and the remote control unit via the power supply line, and signals such as a target throttle opening signal and a target shift position signal are sent from the remote control unit to the boat propulsion unit via the communication line, thereby allowing the boat to run. Examples of this type of boat are disclosed in Japanese Patent Documents JP-A-Hei 5-152996 and JP-A-2003-200895 1, for example.